Confessions of a Walmart Greeter: All in a Day's Work

Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., initiated an open-door policy seldom seen in business today. He was actually receptive to employee suggestions. One Walmart staffer proposed, due to increased shoplifting problems, that it might be beneficial to post greeters at each Walmart entrance. Sam's vision included a welcoming experience for customers, so he took the employee's advice. The rest is history. Walmart greeters serve as shoplifting deterrents and as the face of Walmart.

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A Walmart greeter is the first person a customer encounters when he enters the store. Since it's the consumer's initial point of contact, the intention is for it to be a pleasant one. Although the pay is meager for Walmart greeters, the impressions they make are not. I once witnessed a Walmart greeter run quite a distance to alert a woman that her laundry detergent was leaving a trail behind her. It's all in a day's work.

Meet Ken

Ken, a Walmart greeter in the small town of Mesquite, NV, has been brightening my days for over a year now. He quips that he applied for the job because he was "getting in his wife's way" at home. He is retired from another profession, as are many Walmart greeters.

Typical day

Ken tells me his workday starts very early in the morning. He follows a basic routine each day. After clocking in, Ken scours the area where he'll be posted to make sure it's in tip-top shape. He dusts the window sills, picks up the cigarette butts left from the night before, and clears out any debris. He makes sure that the carts are all lined up and ready to go.

Meet and greet

A Walmart greeter's main job reflects its title: Greet the customers enthusiastically. Ken says that he is also responsible for putting pricing tickets on return items. One of his most challenging responsibilities is making sure that all goods are accounted for as buyers exit the store. He has run across a few indignant patrons when he's asked to see their receipts. Ken has no complaints. He says that the good outweighs the bad in his job as a greeter at Walmart.

Crazy customers

There are bizarre incidents regarding Walmart greeters, and they're-making news across the nation. News 10 in Ceres, CA, reported that a Walmart greeter was attacked when he asked one couple to see a receipt for the flat-screen television they were carrying out of the store. It just so happens they were shoplifters, who in turn, assaulted the worker.

On a lighter note, Sedalia, MO's daily newspaper, the Sedalia Democrat, gave an account of one of their Walmart greeters who has become a Facebook sensation. This is all due to the efforts of a teenager who thought "Smitty's" friendly nature went above and beyond, and he should be celebrated.

Ken from Mesquite says that his days are not quite as eventful as what he's read about in the news -- and he's thankful for that. The most distressing matter he comes across is when customers are rude to him for no apparent reason. One time when he bellowed his usual, hearty "Welcome to Walmart," the retort was (to put it more mildly than the customer did), "Screw you." That took Ken aback. He says he is sad that parents would act that way, especially when they have children in tow. Ken is to be commended for his consistent, friendly nature.

As a small stockholder in Walmart, I appreciate their valuable customer-service program. If it were abandoned, I believe we'd all miss those smiling faces greeting us at Walmart entrances.

I have no objection at all To having Greeters. I have never been offended by any one of thm and believe me when I say if they do their job right they can be very well needed. I think it makes for a better relation ship between the Greeter and you. Be happy.

I think you will find good and bad regardless at. I don't a person's race has any thing to do with the the Race of a person. I do agree some people should leave their kids at home when going shopping. They let there kids drag things off the shelves and leave on the floor and they won't even pick them and I have seen some adults act badly also. If you have to take the little ones with you then keep them corraled.

I take it by your comment you are an regular at Walmart and because all you can do is bash people, I think you are a high school drop out on welfare and shop at any store no matter what they are about and or stand for. You didn't even reply to the comment I wrote only as to smash someone you don't even know. It makes me think,....What did your Daddy do to you as a child? Huh? Why don't you take your welfare simple minded body to walmart and get a JOB! Simple people have such simple minds. And you show that to the world!

I have been going to Walmart in Live Oak, Fla. and Lake City Fla. for the past 10 (ten ) years . I can count on ONE HAND the times I have been greeted !!! Most of the people I see are , bored , over worked , putting in their time or talking to another employee !!! I am disabled so I need one of the scooters. Usually they have one BUT if it is at the other end of the store ,I have NEVER had anyone tell me they would get it for me . They always say for me to walk down and get it !!! I am on oxygen 24/7, very SOB ,by the time I get to the other end of the store I can hardly catch my breath !!! Because of this and the fact that one week walmart has something and the next week they don't and also because the last time I was checking out the cashier was talking on her cell phone and told me to " WAIT A MINUTE " , I do my best NOT to go there !!!

WALMART IS FULL OF NASTY ILLEGAL ALIENS AND THEIR WILD SCREAMING OBESE BRATS. THEY ARE SUCH PIGS. THEY OPEN FOOD AND CANDY PACKAGES AND EAT AS THOGH THEY WERE FREE SAMPLES THEN RETURN THE OPEN PACGES BACK ON THE SHELF WHILE THEIR PARENTS STEAL AS MUCH AS THEY CAN. MEXICANS ARE A CANCEER DESTROYING AMERICA.

I am a merchandiser and Walmart is one store I have to go to. I see tons of greeters and rarely do they say two words. Half the time they don't even do their jobs that they are supposed to do. I also shop at Walmart at times and I have to go hunt down a greeter just to get a ticket on something I'm returning cause customer service won't take it without a ticket on it. All I see half of them do is sit there and talk to other workers. They don't even say hi. Now how hard is that? Not saying all of them are like that cause they are not. But most are at least the areas I go to are and I visit about 20 different ones a month.

I am a Walmart cashier and have helped cover the Door Greeters for break. Believe me they go through alot. Not only do they have alot of rude customers they have a lot put on them. More than anyone realizes. I really appreciate them alot.